Friday, December 10, 2010

Lemon Curd and Honey Spice Cake

The excitement of preparing for Christmas is in the air but my son's absence is tugging at my heartstrings this year, as he will be thousands of miles away on the other side of the world. Knowing I'm missing him terribly, my husband lovingly put his picture on my screen saver, so it's Matt's smiling face I see each morning as I fumble to the computer with my hot cup of coffee. I know he's also on my husband's mind, so this old fashioned recipe was made lovingly for him with all his favourite ingredients.

Ingredients:Lemon Curd:1 cup sugar1/4 cup butter2/3 cup lemon juice1 tablespoon grated lemon rind4 eggs 1/2 cup whipping creamAdd the sugar, lemon juice, lemon rind and butter in a saucepan. Stir the ingredients on medium heat until dissolved. In a bowl beat the eggs and gradually pour in a steady stream the lemon mixture. This method will temper the beaten eggs when adding the hot mixture. Transfer back to the saucepan and simmer for 1-2 minutes to allow the lemon/egg mixture to thicken. Pour into a glass bowl and place a plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a crust from forming. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Fold in the whipping cream and serve.

Honey Spice Cake:1 3/4 all purpose flour1 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/4 teaspoon cardamom1/4 teaspoon ginger1/4 teaspoon cloves 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 teaspoons nutmeg1/2 cup soft butter1/2 cup granulated sugar1/2 cup brown sugar1/2 cup honey 2 eggs3/4 cup milk1 cup Thompson raisinsTake a small amount of the flour (about 2-3 tablespoons) and coat the raisins. Set aside. In a bowl, sift together the remainder of the flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices to blend. In a separate mixing bowl, cream the butter and gradually beat in the sugar. Blend in the honey and eggs. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Fold in the raisins. Transfer the batter to a prepared 8" inch pan. Bake in a pre-heated 350º F oven for 40-50 minutes or until a wooden skewer placed in the center comes out clean.

Was so excited over this post that I double clicked the Foodbuzz button. Oops. That's a beautiful cake. Love the lemon curd topping. Makes it so photogenic. Sorry you're missing your "little boy" so this Christmas. It's tough being on either side of the separated family for Christmas. So I know he'll be glad to hear you're thinking of him.

Amanda, I'm thrilled you enjoyed the photos of the cake. Thanks also for your kind words. No matter what age, they still remain our "little ones". I guess we'll just have to have a belated Christmas celebration when he gets back from his traveling adventure.

Hi sweet woman. I'm thinking of you and Matt and your family. I know it must be hard to be so far apart. My heart goes out to you all! This cake looks so delicious. The lemon curd on top is just heavenly! Thank you so much for sharing with me. I hope you have a beautiful Saturday!

Monet,I know how much family means to you, and really appreciated your kind words regarding Matt's absence during the holidays. I'm really happy you enjoyed the photo and recipe. I hope you have a lovely week-end.

Umm....yummy! The only problem is I can't taste it because I don't have the motherly touch to cook it. Miss you too mum but don't worry, be back before you know it. Can't wait to eat some good old home cooked meals again. Love you and talk to you soon!

Thanks for stopping by my blog! Yours is lovely with so many great desserts. I have a soft spot in my heart for lemon curd in anything... this creamy version is splendid and I can imagine it with that spice cake, delish!

Rimmy, I really appreciate your thoughtful comment. I spoke to Matthew last night and he sounded great. I had the nicest surprise this morning when I saw his comment. Thanks so much for your support. It's so great to have you as a new follower. By the way my husband feel upon your blog and really enjoyed your post on Italian slow food cooking. Thanks again.

You have a wonderful Christmas and New Year, I really look forward to catching up with you when I get back! Thank you for being my wonderful foodie friend, I want you to know how much I appreciate it :)

Hi Claudia, thanks so much for your thoughtful comment. Our children never fail to surprise us. Seeing Matthew's "virtual" visit really made my day. It was really sweet of him to leave a few words on the blog.I can't agree with you more, the spices in the cake really celebrate the holidays.